Reduced: Solar Assisted Get Away Cabin Home: This location is perfect for staying connected yet being distant from cities. This area is one of the least populated in the continental USA, yet recreation opportunities abound and employment remains relatively strong.
Delight yourself with this unique and wonderful hybrid Earth Contact/ Straw Bale Home located in high desert above the red rock canyon country of southeastern Utah, close to numerous National Parks, National Forest, world class desert rivers, and the San Juan mountains of Colorado.
The asking price for this home is $174,800. Annual property tax is approximately $700, and annual utility cost is around $400. The living area of the home is 1,200 sq.ft. This is a two bedroom (one bedroom is small), 1.5 bath home on a 1.5 acre lot with a septic system and private water well. The home was given an occupancy permit in 2006 (new in 2006).
This unique home is owner built and designed by a retired (aka "drop-out") aerospace engineer. The home was very labor intensive to build, and its remote location further complicated construction. Most homes in this area are modular. This is a rare custom home in an ideal place.
The home is post and beam construction with straw bale fill on three sides. It has a wonderful rounded, stucco, thick wall appearance. A southwestern dream home, with deeply colored acid stained concrete floors and ceramic tile throughout. Rounded earthen ledge and juniper pole interior construction combined with many large windows give the interior a bright, delightful, southwest feel. Unobstructed views of the mountains to the north (only ranch and public land to the north, no houses!). Pine cabinets and wardrobe are custom built with wood harvested on local mountains.
House is tied to grid power, but has many solar aspects and options.
- Passive Solar space heat (lots of glass on the south side with a calculated overhang)
- Solar powered radiant floor heat (includes five hot water panels and a 200 gal hot water tank in separate outbuilding)
- Solar domestic hot water heater (includes two 4x8 solar hot water panels)
- Solar supplemental and backup electric power: this solar PV electric system provides power for all the house lights and limited power outlet usage, but could be expanded. The current system provides enough power for all the lights, a computer, TV, microwave oven, and power tools etc.
The house is "double wired" to accommodate grid and solar power simultaneously. The house can run on solar power, grid power, or a combination of the two.
The house is sunk into the ground two and half feet to take advantage of the thermal inertia gained by earth contact. The result is that the house is cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.
This unique house performs! The design and location of this house are perfect for comfortable living without great dependence on outside energy sources. House has a woodstove, and propane heater for backup.
Electric power bills are about $26/mo without auxiliary solar backup. Propane usage is minimal for cooking range, BBQ, and back-up heat. We own our 275 gal propane tank, and it is close to half full after five years of use!
Home is located in high desert (elevation 7000 feet) at the base of mountain range with 12,000 peaks. La Sal is a small community (pop 350) with a convenience store, gas pump, senior center, elementary school, fire station, and community activity facility with a library. Land line phone service is available, as is DSL internet. Cell phone coverage is good, and 30 miles away in Moab, a brand new state of the art hospital has just opened.
La Sal is 30 miles from Moab, Utah, an international tourist destination, and 40 miles from Monticello, the county seat. The economy remains strong here with tourism and mining showing some growth and stability.
The location is a hot spot for recreation. The house is 10 minutes from the Hook and Ladder OHV trail system, 15 minutes from Looking Glass Arch, 15 minutes from National Forest, 20 minutes to Medicine Lake (9000 feet), 35 minutes from Needles Overlook of Canyonlands, 40 minutes from either Arches or Canyonlands National Park, and about 100 miles from Telluride and the San Juan Mountain range in Colorado. For those into river rafting, many world-class desert rivers surround this location.
Property has a large root cellar with a 1000 gal storage tank that automatically fills up from a water well (always have about 800 gal of water on hand)! The well is currently hooked up to grid power, but is designed to be run from a regular generator or solar power (The pump is 110V and the wire is 8GA to accommodate this). A large out-building with office/ guest space (has a wood stove) and storage is adjacent to the home. On the other side is an insulated, passive solar chicken coop with an enclosed run that can accommodate up to 15 birds.
Some fine trees also grace the property; these include cedars, willows, cottonwoods, a lone plum, and a lone apricot. We have enjoyed a vegetable garden to the south of the house every summer, with good harvests of tomatoes, potatoes, summer squash, lettuce and carrots. Property is completely fenced, and has two gates with a connecting pull-through gravel driveway.
The water well is 307 feet deep, and draws from an abundant sandstone aquifer fed by mountain snow pack; the water has a good, clean taste. Water rights are established. An irrigation ditch runs through the property and runs intermittently. Shares are available for purchase. Another year-round clear running stream is one mile from the house. Rain water collection systems are in place as a hobby, and include a 250 gal tank that can fill from just one thunderstorm. The property has ample room for another house, some horses, or goats, and currently has a pad with hook-ups for an RV (power and water, and grey water discharge only).
The home is located in an older subdivision of mainly 1.5 acre lots. Some larger lots exist. Any covenants seem to be long forgotten. This area is all about freedom. Many people have horses and other animals. Collections of resources (old vehicles etc.) are fairly common in La Sal. Many city people would see this stuff as junk, but this material is indeed valuable. Taxes are low and liberty is high here. Private land is rare in this part of the world, and this is some of it. BLM, Forest Service, and large ranch holdings surround this little, laid-back community of La Sal. Where do you want to be in hard times? La Sal is a low-key community where people are already content living close to the poverty line, are self-sufficient and hard-times minded. All this close to wonderful recreation and only 30 miles from a thriving tourist town. What could be better?
The home was built on site, using local and recycled materials whenever possible. Most of the lumber came from a local mill (now shut down). No carpets, non-smoking, fragrance free, low VOC paints, gypsum plastered straw bale interior. Home is very bright with natural light.
We are currently under a prepaid, flat fee contract with a licensed Real Estate Broker so we can be listed on the MLS. If you contact me directly and are not represented by an agent we will not pay ANY brokerage fee. If we desire, we can pay this licensed Real Estate Broker to handle all the paperwork. This along with a title company handling the closing will make for a smooth, safe, and comfortable deal. All closing cost will be shared 50/50. At this time we will not consider owner financing; buyer must acquire funds. There are some local banks that deal with unconventional homes, and with a significant down payment you should be able to get a loan for this property at this low price.
I will also consider a partial trade for a large 5th wheel trailer (and/or truck) or motor home.
Why are we selling? This is my dream home, a home I never intended to sell, but we have become followers of Jesus Christ and need to move to become a part of a local assembly of believers. The asking price of $174,800 is a give away. This price could never cover the ten years of labor and materials it cost to build this home. Yet we are currently open to all offers.
This home has real intrinsic value; it is not just another spec home that will fail to serve you in hard times. This house is priced to sell fast; don't miss out on this unique opportunity. Modular homes on similar lots sell at my asking price and more in this area.
If world instability and inflation continues, the price of this home will go up, not down. This is no ordinary home. This home was built for low overhead retirement or hard times, and has a lot of imbedded energy in it in the form of solar equipment, redundant wiring, elaborate plumbing, and extraordinary equipment. The cost of these things is going up. Grab this unique southwest solar assisted get-away home soon!
Due to the increased volume of inquiries I have tried to disclose as much as possible in this revised listing. Local weather statistics and info on La Sal can be found on city-data.com).
I love living in La Sal. The air is clean and fresh, the views are wonderful, the access to recreation is fantastic, and the overall experience here is one of peace. My wife and I have always found ample employment in this area. This area is great! Feel free to contact me with any questions you might have.
The property is now listed by a realtor. Please contact Janie for more information on the property:
Janie Tuft, Realtor
397 N. Main St. #4
Moab Premier Properties
Moab, UT 84532
Cell# 435-260-1572
Office# 435-259-7337 Ext. 104
Home# 435-259-8360
